Broccoli Cheddar Risotto

I'm on a serious risotto kick these days. When one of the ladies on my cooking board sang the praises of this Broccoli-Cheddar Oven Risotto I couldn't wait to try it.



While I'm sure the oven method is easier, I prefer to cook risotto on the stove top because I have more control. The cooking method is the only change I made to the recipe.



We all loved this, even if I ended up with more broccoli than rice. The flavor was great and the rice was nice and creamy. I also like that this was an all-in-one starch and veggie side dish.

Broccoli Cheddar Risotto
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

4-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Bring the chicken broth to a low simmer in a saucepan. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every so often, until the broccoli is tender and browning in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the skillet.

Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.

Start adding the chicken broth one ladle-full at a time, letting it fully absorb before adding more. This process takes anywhere from 17-25 minutes.

Before you add the final ladle of broth, add the broccoli back in. Add the final ladle of broth and once it's absorbed, taste some of the rice to make sure it's cooked through. Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Yorkshire Pudding

Another staple on our Christmas table is Yorkshire Pudding. I'd never heard of it before my stepdad joined our family more than 25 years ago, but it's similar to popovers - crusty on the outside and custardy on the inside.

In the years when my stepgrandmother made Christmas dinner I always assumed the Yorkshire pudding was a difficult thing to make. The year I took over making dinner I was worried about getting it right. It turns out Yorkshire Pudding is very easy to make. I've never had enough beef drippings to make it with those so I just use melted butter. This year's version was especially beautiful.

Yorkshire Pudding
The Joy of Cooking

1 cup minus 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup beef drippings or 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat until well blended.

Heat a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and add the drippings/butter, then add the batter all at once.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Don't open the oven while the pudding is baking.

Remove from the oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately - this is best eaten piping hot.

Creamy Noodles

This post has been sitting in my draft folder for ages and I'm sorry it's taken me this long to share it with you.

Awhile back I was looking for an easy side dish, something a little different, and I came across Stephanie's Creamy Noodles. Stephanie is a genius, pure and simple. She took one of my favorite childhood indulgences - those noodles and sauce packets where you just add milk - and made a homemade version.

Unfortunately I didn't have any spinach (not even frozen) when I made these, but they were still delicious. I can't wait to make them again.

Creamy Noodles
As seen on Stephanie Cooks

2 cups egg noodles, uncooked
1 cup baby spinach, cut into thin ribbons
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons light cream
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cook the egg noodles. Drain and put them into a small baking dish. Add the spinach and stir.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, flour, light cream, grated garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and onion powder. Stir well until the flour is no longer clumpy. Pour the sauce over the noodles and spinach, stirring well.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, uncovered, stirring halfway through. The broth should thicken up and coat the noodles. Serve.

Roasted Green Beans

I love to roast vegetables but I never thought to roast green beans until the girls on my cooking board mentioned it. And it couldn't be simpler - toss with seasonings and oil and roast until tender.

There are a ton of variations - my cooking board mentioned adding onions or mushrooms, garlic, various spices, even soy sauce and orange juice for an Asian spin - but so far I've only done oil, salt and pepper. I'll definitely be experimenting soon, though.

Recently I roasted 2lbs of green beans for 5 adults and 1 child and we had very few leftover. They're so addicting we kept going back for more.

Roasted Green Beans

2lbs green beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Trim the ends off the green beans and place in a 9 x 13" baking dish. Add the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat all the beans evenly.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the beans are tender and starting to brown in spots. Every few minutes give them a toss with tongs.

Cauliflower Gratin

This was one of two side dishes I served with the turkey meatloaf - Ina's Cauliflower Gratin. Cauliflower isn't a vegetable I cook with regularly, but it's a great alternative to broccoli or other cold-weather vegetables. And bonus, SP and Baby Girl both love it.

When I think of gratins I think of heavy, cream-laden dishes but this was surprisingly light. The sauce is made with milk, not cream, and there's only 4 tablespoons of butter for a 3-lb head of cauliflower.

We all loved this. I can't wait to experiment with more cauliflower dishes this winter.

Cauliflower Gratin
Recipe from Ina Garten

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (from one slice of bread)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Potatoes with Parmesan and Oregano

I'm always looking for new side dishes so when Cassie posted these Roasted Potatoes with Parmesan and Oregano I thought I'd give them a try. I haven't really been happy with any roasted potato recipe I've made so I was hoping these would be a winner.

And, they were! The potatoes were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They also held together wonderfully. I think the red potatoes are key for that since they tend to be a sturdier potato. The oregano and parm flavors really came through and this was so easy to throw together. I cut the recipe in half because we didn't need leftovers, but I bet any leftover potatoes would be great topped with fried eggs for breakfast. Thanks Cassie!

Roasted Potatoes with Parmesan and Oregano
As seen on Cassie Craves

3 pounds baby red potatoes, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to toss the potatoes with the seasonings.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping occasionally, until browned and crispy.

Collard Greens

We got together with some friends recently and the theme was Southern cooking. One of the dishes I was tasked with making was collard greens. I love collards at our favorite BBQ place so I looked for a similar recipe.

These had awesome flavor but were incredibly salty, so much so that they were basically inedible. As a result I modified the recipe below, omitting the salt in Paula's house seasoning. I'll definitely be making these again with the modification. They really were delicious, even if the picture doesn't do them justice.

Collard Greens
Recipe modified from Paula Deen

1/2 pound smoked meat (ham hocks, smoked turkey wings, or smoked neck bones)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon hot red pepper sauce
1 large bunch collard greens
1 tablespoon butter


In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add smoked meat, black pepper, garlic powder, seasoned salt and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 hour.

Wash the collard greens thoroughly. Remove the stems that run down the center by holding the leaf in your left hand and stripping the leaf down with your right hand. The tender young leaves in the heart of the collards don't need to be stripped. Stack 6 to 8 leaves on top of one another, roll up, and slice into 1/2 to 1-ince thick slices.

Place greens in pot with meat and add butter. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the meat from the ham hock, etc. and add to the collards.

American Macaroni Salad

We invited my mother-in-law over for a belated July 4th celebration dinner the Saturday after the holiday. I was all set to make my creamy macaroni salad when I realized my carrots were moldy. Since it's one of the only veggie ingredients in the dish I knew I needed to find a different recipe. A quick Google search for macaroni salad brought up this American Macaroni Salad from the folks at the Food Network Kitchens.

As much as we all enjoy the other macaroni salad I often make, this was a great alternative. I had to make a few changes based on what I had on hand. I loved the addition of the tomato, something I wouldn't have thought to add. The mixture of flavors from the mayo, dry mustard, sour cream and lemon juice was perfect. I only made a half order and we polished it off that night. I can't wait to make this one again.

American Macaroni Salad
Modified from Food Network Kitchens

1/2 pound elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained
2 hard-cooked large eggs, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomato
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, eggs, celery, onion, tomato and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, dry mustard, lemon juice, sour cream, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Sweet Corn with Zucchini and Basil

Once again I found myself with a few ears of corn and no idea what to make. Thankfully Nichole had just posted this recope for Fried Sweet Corn with Basil Butter. I also had half a huge zucchini to use up, so I decided to add it to the corn to bump up the veggies.

Sweet Corn with Zucchini and Basil
Slightly modified from The Cookaholic Wife

1/2 large zucchini (or 1 small zucchini), shredded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups corn kernels (about 4 ears)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
Salt and pepper

Place shredded zucchini in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Transfer zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the moisture.

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn, zucchini, garlic and basil and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until the corn is lightly browned and making popping noises.

Transfer to a dish, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

Since Memorial Day weekend was also Baby Girl's baptism, we decided to keep things very, very low-key on Monday so we could rest and relax after a weekend of go, go, go. I knew I wanted to make my all-time favorite potato salad but I was also in the mood for something new. Jaida made this recipe for Tomato & Cucumber Salad for the recent BBQ swap so I decided to give it a shot.


I cut the recipe in half because SP isn't really a fan of cucumbers and because I had a feeling it wouldn't keep well. I should have scaled it back even further because I was the only one who ate it and there was just too much of it. I really liked the flavor and acidity from the vinegar so I'd make it again to bring to a cookout with more people.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad
Sweet Beginnings

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
1/6 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 container of plum or cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature for an hour, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, onion, and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro

Corn. Mushrooms. Cilantro. Three very simple ingredients that come together to make a side dish that we couldn't stop eating.


When my friend Melissa recommended the Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin she insisted I serve it with White Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro. I trust her advice completely so I went with it. After all, it contains two of SP's favorite things - corn and mushrooms. How could it be bad?


Since corn isn't in season yet I used frozen yellow corn. SP came home with regular white mushrooms instead of crimini, but they worked out just fine. I think the crimini would only make this better but aren't necessary. If you're using frozen corn this dish takes almost no time to prepare, which makes it a perfect weeknight side dish. Since I'm a spice wimp I used maybe 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, but adjust to your spice preference.

SP was in love with this entire meal and told me I could make it again and again, whenever I wanted.

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro
Alosha's Kitchen

4 tablespoons butter, divided
8-12oz crimini mushrooms, stems removed and cut into a small dice
5 ears fresh white corn, husks removed and kernels cut from cobs (or 3 cups frozen)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. When butter has melted and is just beginning to brown, add the mushrooms and saute until softened and browned.

Reduce heat to medium high. Add corn, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Continue to saute until corn kernels are softened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Thanksgiving Side Dishes

November is here and you know what that means - Thanksgiving is right around the corner. This is the first year we are cooking the whole meal at our house and I can't wait. When I was a kid we ate the same side dishes every year, but now that I'm older I can't wait to experiment with some new recipes. A Thanksgiving side dish swap sounded like a great way for the ladies on the cooking board to find some new recipes.

I hope anyone reading this is able to find some new side dishes for their Thanksgiving table. Happy Cooking!

Kate incorporated some of her favorite elements from past sweet potato casseroles to make Sweet Potato Casserole:


Caitlin's recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Cream combined a bunch of her favorites into one dish:


Ashley loved the versatility of her Sweet Potato Coins with Blue Cheese and Bacon:


Heather had never made Stovetop Mac and Cheese before, preferring the baked variety, but found her recipe to be fast and delicious:


Brianna revamped her recipe for Green Bean Casserole:


Nicole went out of her comfort zone with her recipe for Baked Garlic Cheddar Grits and discovered she really liked grits:


Jaida had never had butternut squash before, but she loved her recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto:


Melissa enjoyed the pecans the most in her recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Maple Buttered Pecans:


The Cookaholic Wife had never been a big fan of Thanksgiving but now she enjoys finding new dishes to try, like her recipe for Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Marshmallow Streusel:


Melissa's recipe for Burgundy Mushrooms took quite a long time to make:


Christen's recipe for Twice Baked Potato Casserole is certainly not diet food, but she loved it:


Lishie enjoyed her recipe for Green Beans with Bacon & Caramelized Shallots and can't wait to make it again with pancetta:


Dawn had never made stuffed mushrooms before so she was excited to try her recipe for Clam Stuffed Mushrooms:


Jenna had another recipe involving French onion, this time for French Onion Stuffed Baked Potatoes:


Jey had my recipe for Whiskey Glazed Carrots, which were a huge hit with her whiskey-loving husband:


I had another Brussels sprouts recipe, Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts:


Coleen went all out, cooking a mini-Thanksgiving dinner for herself and her husband to go along with her recipe for Cranberry-Apple Chutney:


Christine thought her recipe for Strip House Potatoes Romanoff was DeLish, just like the name of the blog that submitted the recipe:


Lindsay's recipe for a homemade version of the traditional green bean casserole was right up her alley. She put her own spin, ommiting the mushrooms, to make Cheddar Green Bean Casserole:


Mary Ellen thought the bacon flavor was a little overwhelming in her Sauteed Spinach with Bacon, but she loved the crispy bits of bacon mixed with the spinach:


The blogger who received Melissa's recipe for Red Skin Potato Mash had a family emergency that prevented her from completing the assignment, but I didn't want you to miss out on the deliciousness:

Creamed Corn

I was looking through the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine and came across this recipe for Creamed Corn. Corn, bacon, salt and pepper - what could be easier?


I changed the method slightly based on what I do for my corn fritters and I think the result was pretty amazing. Sweet corn and salty bacon is a great combination.

Creamed Corn
Modified from Food Network Magazine

6 slices bacon
8 large cobs fresh corn, preferably white, shucked and cleaned
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

In a large skillet, (seasoned cast iron does well here) cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Turn off the heat and transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve the drippings in the pan.

Using a chef's knife, cut kernels from 4 ears of corn and place in a large bowl. Grate the kernels from the remaining 4 ears of corn on the large holes of a box grater. Add to the bowl with the whole kernels. Using the back of the knife, scrape any remaining pulp from all the cobs and put in the bowl. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, and add the corn kernels.

Season corn lightly with salt and pepper and cook until broken down and creamy, about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often; add water if the pan gets too dry. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Crisp bacon can be crumbled over the creamed corn when serving or reserved for another use. If you have bacon drippings on hand, use 1/4 cup for this recipe.